Electronic device and method for performing direct communication

Abstract

An electronic device may include: a Bluetooth communication interface; a Wi-Fi interface; memory storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: identify Wi-Fi pairing state information related to a Wi-Fi direct connection between an external electronic device and the electronic device; transmit a pairing state request including electronic device pairing state information about the electronic device to the external electronic device through the Bluetooth communication interface; receive a pairing state response to the pairing state request from the external electronic device through the Bluetooth communication interface, the pairing state response including external electronic device pairing state information about the external electronic device; and compare the external electronic device pairing state information and the electronic device pairing state information to generate a comparison result.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device comprising:
 a Bluetooth communication interface;   a Wi-Fi interface;   memory storing instructions;   at least one processor configured to execute the instructions,   wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
 identify Wi-Fi pairing state information related to a Wi-Fi direct connection between an external electronic device and the electronic device; 
   transmit a pairing state request comprising electronic device pairing state information about the electronic device to the external electronic device through the Bluetooth communication interface;
 receive a pairing state response to the pairing state request from the external electronic device through the Bluetooth communication interface, the pairing state response comprising external electronic device pairing state information about the external electronic device; 
 compare the external electronic device pairing state information and the electronic device pairing state information; 
 release the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device based on a result of the comparison; 
 generate a new group for a new Wi-Fi direct connection to the external electronic device; and 
 establish a Wi-Fi direct peer-to-peer (P2P) connection with the external electronic device through the Wi-Fi interface, based on the generated new group. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to release the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device based on the external electronic device pairing state information being different from the electronic device pairing state information. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to, based on the external electronic device pairing state information being the same as the electronic device pairing state information, maintain the Wi-Fi direct P2P connection using a group for the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the Wi-Fi pairing state information comprises at least one of a role in the group for the Wi-Fi direct connection, a credential, a service set identifier (SSID), or a group ID for the Wi-Fi direct connection. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to obtain the Wi-Fi pairing state information from the Wi-Fi interface through an application using the Wi-Fi direct connection. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to generate the new group for the new Wi-Fi direct connection with the external electronic device based on a persistent group formation procedure. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to generate the group for the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device based on a persistent group formation procedure. 
     
     
         8 . A method performed by an electronic device, the method comprising:
 identifying Wi-Fi pairing state information related to a Wi-Fi direct connection between an external electronic device and the electronic device;   transmitting a pairing state request comprising electronic device pairing state information about the electronic device to the external electronic device through a Bluetooth communication interface;   receiving a pairing state response to the pairing state request from the external electronic device through the Bluetooth communication interface, the pairing state response comprising external electronic device pairing state information about the external electronic device;   comparing the external electronic device pairing state information and the electronic device pairing state information to generate a comparison result;   releasing the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device based on a result of the comparing;   generating a new group for a new Wi-Fi direct connection to the external electronic device; and   establishing a Wi-Fi direct peer-to-peer (P2P) connection with the external electronic device through a Wi-Fi interface, based on the generated new group.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising releasing the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device based on the external electronic device pairing state information being different from the electronic device pairing state information. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising, based on the external electronic device pairing state information being the same as the electronic device pairing state information, maintaining the Wi-Fi direct P2P connection using a group for the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the Wi-Fi pairing state information comprises at least one of a role in the group for the Wi-Fi direct connection, a credential, a service set identifier (SSID), or a group ID for the Wi-Fi direct connection. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising obtaining the Wi-Fi pairing state information from the Wi-Fi interface through an application using the Wi-Fi direct connection. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising generating the new group for the new Wi-Fi direct connection with the external electronic device based on a persistent group formation procedure. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising generating the group for the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device based on a persistent group formation procedure. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs comprising instructions to, when executed by at least one processor of an electronic device individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
 identify Wi-Fi pairing state information related to a Wi-Fi direct connection between an external electronic device and the electronic device;   transmit a pairing state request comprising electronic device pairing state information about the electronic device to the external electronic device through a Bluetooth communication interface;   receive a pairing state response to the pairing state request from the external electronic device through the Bluetooth communication interface, the pairing state response comprising external electronic device pairing state information about the external electronic device;   compare the external electronic device pairing state information and the electronic device pairing state information to generate a comparison result;   release the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device based on the comparison result;   generate a new group for a new Wi-Fi direct connection to the external electronic device; and   establish a Wi-Fi direct peer-to-peer (P2P) connection with the external electronic device through a Wi-Fi interface, based on the generated new group.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to release the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device based on the external electronic device pairing state information being different from the electronic device pairing state information. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to, based on the external electronic device pairing state information being same as the electronic device pairing state information, maintain the Wi-Fi direct P2P connection using a group for the Wi-Fi direct connection between the external electronic device and the electronic device. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the Wi-Fi pairing state information comprises at least one of a role in the group for the Wi-Fi direct connection, a credential, a service set identifier (SSID), or a group ID for the Wi-Fi direct connection. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to obtain the Wi-Fi pairing state information from the Wi-Fi interface through an application using the Wi-Fi direct connection. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to generate the new group for the new Wi-Fi direct connection with the external electronic device based on a persistent group formation procedure.